Our Rescue Coordination Centre is lauding a multi-agency operation resulting in three people being rescued after getting stuck in the Earl Mountains, north of Te Anau.
Maritime NZ's Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) was notified of the party being in distress at about 6.30 PM on Friday, 21 February via an In Reach SOS message.
"After assessing the situation, our search and rescue officers confirmed the party of three was bluffed on the northern side of Triangle Peak," RCCNZ, Duty Manager Mike Clulow says.
Search and rescue officers quickly dispatched the Southern Lakes Helicopters rescue helicopter from Te Anau.
Following several failed attempts to rescue the party, the experienced helicopter crew decided that, due to the terrain and weather conditions, an Alpine Cliff Rescue (ACR Team) from LandSAR would be required.
"These are highly experienced operators, who were focused on getting the bluffed party back to safety. They always, however, take a safety first approach, and it just wasn't possible during the initial attempts to get the party safely out," Mike Clulow says.
As a result of the conditions and fading daylight the party was forced to spend the night on the side of Triangle Peak.
In order to safely recover the party at first light RCCNZ's search and rescue officers, along with the Southern Lakes Helicopters team, the Heli Otago Rescue Helicopter team, Heliworks Queenstown, Wakatipu ACR team, and local police planned and positioned equipment and personnel to effect a rescue as early as possible on Saturday morning.
"It would've been a chilly night for the party, but everyone involved was focused on putting the safe and deliberate steps in place to ensure we could carry out a rescue as soon as safe to do so, and work continued through the night.
"Early Saturday morning, a successful rescue was made - by Action Helicopters Queenstown, Wakatipu Alpine Cliff Rescue Team and Heli Otago Rescue Helicopter.
"The relationships our search and rescue officers hold with our key partners meant planning was able to quickly occur, and the best result possible eventuated, with all three rescued from a precarious position," Mike Clulow says.
Maritime NZ wants to extend thanks to everyone involved in this highly technical rescue.
Anyone heading out into the wilderness should understand the area they're heading into and what their skills are, as well as ensure they have the right equipment and an emergency plan for when things go wrong.
